Reptiles. 



8449 



The Forktailed Petrel (Thalassidroma Leachii) in Norfolk.— A specimen of this 

 rare petrel was shot at SaUhouse, on this coast, on the 17th of November. It proved 

 on dissection to be a female, measuring in length 7f inches ; wing, from the anterior 

 bend to the end of longest quill-feather, 6 inches; leg I inch; middle toe and claw 

 1 inch. The stomach was filled with some fishy substance not distinguishable. This 

 bird has been killed in Norfolk in several instances, but not, I believe, since 1849. 

 The present example was shot on some brackish waters, which, on SaUhouse beach, 

 run parallel with the sea-banks, and, to use the expression of the beachman who 

 sent it me, "appeared to be walking on the water." — H. Stevenson. 



The Sexes of the Salamanders. — Will you allow me, through the medium of the 

 'Zoologist.' to put a question interesting to Herpetologists, which some of your 

 readers may possibly be able to answer? How can the sexes of Salamandra maculosa 

 be distinguished, from external signs? I have had for six months two living speci- 

 mens, from the South of Europe, which I selected from about a dozen which were on 

 sale together. Eleven of these were exactly similar in all respects, except the yellow 

 markings, from which nothing can be inferred as to sex. The remaining individual 

 (which I possess) differed in some of its proportions, the length of the tail especially, 

 which I have found in the English Tritons to be a sexual characteristic. I therefore 

 selected this specimen, in hopes of its proving to be a " help meet" for the other. My 

 object is to institute some observations upon the reproduction, larva state, &c, of this 

 species in the ensuing spring. I believe S. maculosa is the S. terrestris of the older 

 authors, the former name being adopted in the Museum Catalogue. If this is the 

 case, I apprehend that in the early spring my specimens will manifest an inclination 

 to take to the water, under the influence of the reproductive instinct; and if I can 

 succeed in inducing them to breed, the results will be of great interest. The species 

 is ovo-viviparous, and doubtless presents some curious phenomena in its method of 

 reproduction. I am led to believe that if I am fortunately in possession of both male 

 and female little difficulty will be experienced in inducing so stupid and indifferent an 

 animal to follow the dictates of its most important instinct. Both my reptiles have 

 constantly taken food, generally larvae of T. molitor, but also earth-worms, and other 

 living prey suitable in size. They appear to be guided to their food simply by seeing 

 it in motion, having no other criterion of what is eatable. If a small piece of meat be 

 laid before them they take no notice, but if the same morsel be tied to a thread and made 

 to dance and wriggle as if alive, they soon hunt it down, and, after swallowing it, choke 

 upon the thread. They have been kept in a large fern-case, amongst growing plants 

 and rock-work, and are in very fine condition. Their large black eyes and the brilliant 

 orange-yellow of their spots entirely relieve them from the charge of ugliness. They 

 have refused to hybernate, I presume because they have not been subjected to the 

 requisite degree of cold, aud so far they are in an unnatural condition. I observe no 

 indications of the growth of a crest, such as begins at an early period of the winter to 

 adorn the tail of our common Triton cristatus. Hence I infer that the terrestrial 

 salamander probably does not vary in personal appearance throughout the year. Being 

 now upon the subject of salamanders, I may mention that I found a different species 

 concealed in rotten trees in the pine forest of Aitone, in Corsica. This I take to be 

 Euproctus platycephalus of the Museum Catalogue. Having failed in getting these 

 to England alive, I preserved the largest in spirit, and have it now before me. It 

 VOL. XXI. T 



